Slide fastener



June 10, 1947. J. B. GRIFFIN SLIDE FASTENER Filed April 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY June 10, 1947.

J. B. GRIFFIN SLIDE FASTENER Filed April 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eatent June 1%, 17

SLIDE ras'mnnn John B.- orimn, Oakville, com, asslgnor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y.. a corporation of New Jersey Application April 11, 1945, Serial No. 587,763

7 Claims. (Cl. 24-205) This invention relates to slide fasteners and particularly to an improved means permitting quick removal of the slider from the closed end of the fastener to permit it to open by falling apart.

While slide fasteners for ordinary purposes are traditionally quick-and convenient for opening and closing garments, there are emergencies which demand quicker and easier opening than can be accomplished by the usual method of running the slider down the length of the fastener. For example, a combat aviator wears a heavy jacket closed by a slide fastener running from the throat or shoulder to the bottom of the jacket, heavy trousers in which slide fasteners form seams running from waist to ankle, and heavy boots closed by slide fasteners. If the aviator is forced to jump into the sea, or if his clothing catches fire, it is imperative that the clothing be removed'more quickly than can be done by sliding the sliders of all of these fasteners'to the usual open position. Also it is frequently impossible for the person to operate the fasteners in the usual manner particularly when he is inlured. Various means have been proposed for quickly opening slide fasteners in such circumstances, but these have proved unsafe and unreliable and their construction has rendered them inherently short-lived.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide an improved arrangement of slide fasteners including an improved top stop for the slider which will reliably hold the fastener closed against inadvertent opening, and which will readily release the slider to permit the fastener to fall apart when desired. It is'also an object to provide a simple and readily constructed top stop which will be durable and remain reliable in operation throughout the life of the fastener.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a jacket closed by a slide fastener;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged plan view corresponding to Fig. 1 of a slide fastener embodying my invention, the pull of the slider having been removed for clarity of illustration, the slider being shown in the normal closed position;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 showing the slider in position to permit the slide fastener to mu apart;

position after its upper end has just moved over the top stop.

The slide fastener I0 is of conventional construction including tapes II and I2 each having a bead ill on its edge to which interlocking elements I4 are attached. A slider l5 having spaced wings l6 and I1 engages the two rows of elements II, and when moved upward as shown in Fig, 2 progressively interlocks the elements to close the fastener and when moved downward along the rows progressively disengages the elements to open the fastener. The slider is provided with a handle l8 called a pull and when used on clothing as referred to is usually equipped with a thong I! so that a person wearing mittens can conveniently operate the slider. The fastener is also .usually equipped with a separating bottom stop,

not shown, to permit the two tapes to be completely separated when the fastener is open, as is well known in the art.

Such slide fasteners are termed separable fasteners and are customarily used on jackets as indicated in Fig. 1. On jackets which must be quickly opened the row of interlocking elements on the tape l2 projects beyond the row on the tape i I so that when the slider passes beyond the elements on tape H, as shown in Fig. 3 the two rows can be quickly disengaged merely 'by starting to disengage the elements at the closed end, as by a, slight pull or even by disturbing the garment. In such circumstances it is diflicult to hold the fastener together and the closure falls apart. In order to prevent such opening of the garment when not :desired, it is customary to provide a stop on the :shorter stringer II which normally retains the slider on both stringers. This stop is so arranged that application to the slider of excessive force tending to close the fastener causes the slider to over-ride the stop and slide off the shorter stringer to permit the fastener to open.

As so described the fastener and its application have been proposed by others. However the ease with which such jackets may be opened encourages wearers always toopen the garment by pulling the slider over the stop. vSuch stops frequently as desired and which retains its eifec 1 ring against being stripped, off the tape when .the

an open resilient slider isforced over the ring. The ring is preferably formed of hard spring steel, for example music wire, ordinarily plated to prevent rusting. The ring is disposed substantially wholly within the length of an interlocking element, and as shown in Fig. 4 its normal diameter is greater than the distance between thewings of the slider.

Accordingly when the fastener is closed with normal force, the ring stops the slider and the slider retains the fastener closed.

The spacing of the ends of the wire minus the thickness of the tape i greater than the excess of the outsidering diameter over the distance between the inner surfaces of the wings so as to permit the ring to 'be compressed to a diameter less than the distance between the wings asshown in Fig. 5. An excessive pull on the slider compresses the ring and permits the slider to ride over the ring and pass off the shorter row of elements.

Preferably the bead i3 is "removed from the tape H beyond the row of elements, leavin an unobstructed edge 2! which can be withdrawn laterally through the slot 22 between the wings of the slider, thus facilitating opening of the zipper. Preferably the row of elements on the stringer it extends beyond the row on stringer l I and the usual top stop 23, is provided, the elements and stop 23 forming means to prevent the slider from being removed from the stringer l2. In this improved arrangement the interlocking elements on either side of the top stop support it so that a simple'and small ring can be used, requiring no other fastening to the tape than be- :ing formed about the bead. This simplicity permits the ring to be made of hardened spring A steel and to be readily formed and applied to the bead after the locking elements are placed on the bead. The simple open ring of hardened steel forms a resilient top stop which lasts indefinitely and is reliable in operation. In fact pulling the sively-interlocking the elements to close the fastener, a top stop normally adapted to prevent removal of. the slider from the strin'gers'when the fastener is closed, said top stop comprising a an openrgsilient ring'secured to one stringer in the path of the slider, the normal diameter of the ring being greater than the space between the wings, and the opening in the ring permitting the ring to be compressed to a diameter less than the space between the wings.

3. A- slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of stringers each having a row of interlocking elements having their lengths disposed transverseto the length of the row. a slider comprising a Pair of spaced wings engaging the rows for progressively interlocking the rows of elements to close the fastener, and a. top stop secured to one stringer and normally adapted to prevent removal of the slider from the stringers when the fastener is closed, said stop comprising a resilient ring whose normal diameter is greater than the distance between the wings, the ring being disposed in a, plane substantially perpendicular to the-length of the row of elements and disposed wholly within the length of the indi- "vidual elements, said ring bingadapted to be compressed and passed through the slider by the application to the slider of excessive force tending to close the fastener.

4. A slide fastener comprising combination a pair of stringers havingopposed rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a pair of spaced wings-engaging the rows of elements for progressiVely "interlocking the elements to I close the fastener, one of the rows projecting beyond the other row when, the fastener is closed, a top stop normally adapted to' prevent removal of the slider from the stringers when the fastener is closed, said stop having a resilient ring secured tothe stringer having the shorter row of elements and adjacent the end-of said row, the

' normal diameter of the ring being greaterthan 1. A slide fastener comprising in combination thicker than the distance between the wings and being adapted to be compressed and passed through the slider by the application to the slider of excessive force tending to close the fastener.

the distance between the wings, the ring beingadapted to be compressed and passed through the slider to permit the slider to be removed from the shorter row, and a second top stop at the end of the longer row to retain the slider on the longer 5. A slide fastenercomprising in combination a pair of tapes each having a beaded edge and a row of interlocking elements secured to each head, a slider having a pair of spaced wingsengaging the rows of elements for progressively interlocking the elements to close the fastener, and a resilient ring surrounding the head of one of said tapes, the ring having a normal diameter greater than the distance between the wings and being adapted to be compressed and passed through the slider by the application to the slider of excessive force tending to close the fastener. I

6. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of tapes. each having a beaded edge and a 2. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of stringers having opposed rows ofinterlocking elements, a slider having a pair of spaced wings engaging the rows of elementsby progresrow of interlocking elements secured to each bead, a slider having-a. pair of spaced wings engaging the rows, of elementsfor progressively interlocking the elements to close the fastener.

and a resilient ring surrounding the head of one of excessive force tending to close the fastener,

the tapes carrying said ring extending beyond its row of elements and having an unobstructed edge in said extended portion.

7. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of tapes each having 'a' beaded edge and a row of interlocking elements secured to each head, a slider having a pair of spaced wings engaging the rows of elements for progressively interlocking the elements to close the fastener, an open resilient ring surrounding the beadoi one of said tapes and disposed between the interlocking elements adjacent the end of the row. the ring having a normal diameter greater than the distance between the wings and being adapted to be compressed and passed through the slider by the application to the slider of excessive force 15 2,341,331

tending to close the fastener, the tape carrying i 6 v said ring having an unobstructed edge beyond the row of elements to permit the slider to be lat- 5 move] of the slider from such other tape.-

JOHN B. GRD'FIN. REFERENCES crrnn 10' The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Parkin Feb. 8, 1944 2,381,359 Mikulas Aug. 7, 1945 

